Godden Green House, Park Lane, Godden Green, TN15 0JS

the erection of 3 dwellinghouses

Authority: Sevenoaks District Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Minor Dwellings
Inspector: Lawrence R

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the site is suitable for residential development, having regard to its location, proposed land use and the amount of development, in relation to whether the proposal would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt
the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The proposal fails to meet the sustainability criterion in paragraph 155(c) of the Framework due to the rural location's poor transport connectivity and lack of accessible services, combined with significant harm to Green Belt openness that is not clearly outweighed by housing benefits.

the modest contribution to housing supply does not clearly outweigh the substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and loss of openness

Framework references: 11, 110, 115, 117, 143, 153, 154, 155

Plan policies cited: LO1, LO8

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

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